San Diego Magazine / April 2006 / Shara Fisler

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Shara Fisler

FROM THE PRIDE THAT’S PALPABLE in her voice, you’d think the kids Shara Fisler is bragging about are her own. “We have two studying at Berkeley and one at San Diego State,” she says. But 34-year-old Fisler isn’t a parent (well, just to Emma, pictured); she’s the founder and executive director of Aquatic Adventures, a nonprofit that provides marine science education to underserved youth in San Diego. And the kids she’s referring to are Aquatic Adventures alums—inner-city youth inspired to higher education as a result of its programs.

“We have living labs all over San Diego and a myriad of opportunities to explore our natural resources, especially our marine coastal habitats,” says Fisler, who earned a degree in environmental studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. “You’d be surprised how many San Diego kids from low-income neighborhoods have never been to the beach.”

Fisler was researching phytoplankton in San Diego Bay and teaching science courses part-time at the University of San Diego when she conceived her vision for what became Aquatic Adventures, established in 1999. “I wanted to combine my love of the ocean with my interest in how humanity and the natural sciences interface,” she says. Her path to forming Aquatic Adventures was also forged by her experience teaching high school students through Upward Bound, and working in community development in Haiti.

“I can remember the very moment when I was snorkeling in Haiti and thought, ‘I want this to be part of my life in a big-picture way,’ ” says Fisler, who received her scuba-diving certification at 13.

In bridging the gap between San Diego’s urban centers and marine environments, Aquatic Adventures helps engage youth in science and inspire environmental action while offering compelling character-building opportunities. Its SEA (Science, Education and Awareness) series introduces elementary and middle-school students to marine sciences through experiments, field trips and contact with animals. More than 3,000 low-income students annually participate in the series, offered at no cost to some schools. Additionally, SEA Semester is a mentoring program offered to City Heights middle- and high-school students, providing positive after-school and weekend activities that are otherwise inaccessible.

Kids are encouraged to “translate awareness into action” by taking part in Wetlands Avengers restoration projects. On April 29, Aquatic Adventures hosts a wetland and canyon restoration day at the Tijuana River Estuary, during which participants learn about wetland and canyon habitats, remove trash and plant native species. More than 1,200 volunteers, including students, are expected to lend a hand.

“We want to provide a life-changing opportunity to these kids and encourage them to be environmentally concerned citizens,” says Fisler. “And we want to show them how to enjoy San Diego at a higher level.”